News of the Week - October 27, 2014

The Environment is Playing a Central Role in the Midterm Elections

Be it a push for more conservation or more access for energy exploration, the environment is factoring into the midterm elections. Candidates are using it as a way to relate to voters across both parties.

In a Sign of Hope, Thousands of Baby Sea Stars Found Off the Oregon Coast

Divers from the Oregon Coast Aquarium have discovered thousands of baby sea stars on the North Jetty in Florence, Oregon. There were as many as 200 juveniles per square meter in some spots. This is providing scientists some hope that sea stars will recover from the wasting disease that has led to a mass sea star die-off across the Pacific coast.

"Artist" Promotes Her Graffiti Paintings in Multiple National Parks, Sparking Outrage

A woman took to Instagram to promote her drawings, done in acrylic paint, in Crater Lake National Park and others. In one post, she seemingly acknowledged she knew she was doing wrong, but continued to promote her work anyway. When news agencies discovered her actions and notified the authorities, she locked her account. An investigation is currently underway and the National Park Service intends to remove the works once their investigation is complete.

Palau Uses Crowdfunding to Finance Huge Marine Sanctuary

The tiny island nation of Palau recently banned commercial fishing in all 177 square miles of its waters. The protected area is roughly the size of France, and it encompasses some of the world's most pristine waters. To patrol the marine sanctuary, Palau needed to raise funds for boats and personnel. To do so, it took to crowdfunding platform Indiegogo and raised over $100,000, exceeding the campaigns goal.